Bilge pump having snubbing action

ABSTRACT

A bilge pump for a boat operated by wave action upon the boat also provides snubbing action to the mooring lines and comprises a pump chamber of elastic, flexible material connected in the mooring line which expands and contracts as the mooring line is tensed and relaxed due to wave action upon the boat. The pumping chamber has inlet and outlet check valves therein. A line runs from the bilge of the boat to the inlet valve of the pump chamber. Expansion and contraction of the pumping chamber, together with action of the check valves, draws water from the bilge of the boat and discharges it overboard.

Unite States Patent 1 MeAnslandl 1 Get. a, 1974 BlLGlE PUMP HAVllNGSNUBBKNG ACTllON [76] Inventor: Robert R. MeAusland, 1108 38th Ave,East, Seattle, Wash. 98102 [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1973 [21] Appl, No.:329,523

[52] 111.5. (11 114/183 A, 114/230, 417/478 [51] llnt. C1 B631 13/00[58] Field ofSearcll 114/183 R, 183 A, 184,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,173,207 9/1939 Larsson114/183 A 2,422,440 6/1947 Severance 87/6 2,483,088 9/1949 Haven 254/512,772,817 12/1956 .lauch 417/478 2,954,048 9/1960 Rychlik 417/4783,180,301 4/1965 Keller 114/185 3,215,084 11/1965 Cline 114/1853,486,409 12/1969 Powell 87/6 OTHER PUBLICATIONS George Daniels, AmazingPlastic Ropes, Popular Science, June 1964, pp. 142-148.

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Galen L. BarefootAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Seed, Berry, Vernon & Baynham 5 7] ABSTRAET Abilge pump for a boat operated by wave action upon the boat alsoprovides snubbing action to the mooring lines and comprises a pumpchamber of elastic, flexible material connected in the mooring linewhich expands and contracts as the mooring line is tensed and relaxeddue to wave action upon the boat. The pumping chamber has inlet andoutlet check valves therein. A line runs from the bilge of the boat tothe inlet valve of the pump chamber. Expansion and contraction of thepumping chamber, together with action of the check valves, draws waterfrom the bilge of the boat and discharges it overboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to a combination bilge pump and snubber, and snubber design.

2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure Bilge pumps have been developedwhich utilize wave action upon a boat, or apparent changes in thedirection of gravity when a boat rocks, to operate a pump. Breneman, US.Pat. No. 3,007,430, discloses a buoy pump which rocks in response towave action. A pendulum within the buoy responds to the rocking motionby a swinging motion which operates the pump. Delaney, US. Pat. No.3,120,212, discloses a wave-actuated pump wherein a plunger of the pumpis connected to a float in such a manner that the plunger isreciprocated by the float due to wave or boat movement. Tumba, US. Pat.No. 3,586,905, discloses a pump utilizing wave action to operate a floatwhich is connected to a pump piston to pump water out of the bilge of amoored boat. Huff, US. Pat. No. 3,062,152, discloses an expansible andcollapsible dome-like bulb which, by reciprocating of a handle, expandsand collapses the bulb to pump water out of the bilge of a boat. Patentsto Kafka and Noe, US. Pat. Nos. 3,362,336 and 3,532,440, also disclosewave-actuated pumps operating in a similar manner to those describedpreviously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects of this invention are (1) toprovide a wave-actuated bilge pump which uses wave movement of a boatupon its mooring line to pump water from the bilge and, at the sametime, provide a snubbing action to the mooring line or lines; (2) toprovide a bilge pump having snubbing action utilizing convoluted tubingwhich is a part of the mooring line and has an inherent shock absorbingor snubbing action; and (3) to provide a bilge pump having snubbingaction utilizing a flexible tubing section extending inside a portion ofbraided mooring line which changes volume when the mooring line istensed and relaxed to pump water from the bilge and provide snubbingaction to the mooring line.

These and other objects are accomplished by provision of a combinedmooring line and pumping device for a boat utilizing wave action uponthe boat to achieve pumping action to pump out the bilge of the boat.The pumping device is a section of flexible material connected in themooring line extending between the boat and a mooring station havinginlet and outlet check valve ends thereof, the pumping section expandingand contracting its volume as the mooring line is tensed and relaxed dueto relative motion between the surface of the water and the boat. Aconduit connecting the inlet end of the pump has its free end placed inthe bilge of the boat. Relative motion between the surface of the waterand the boat causes repeated tensing and relaxing of the mooring lineresulting in expansion and contraction of the volume of the pumpingchamber with expansion of the chamber creating a partial vacuum drawingwater from the bilge into the chamber through the conduit with the inletcheck valve inhibiting return flow of the bilge water. Contraction ofthe pump chamber reduces the volume of the chamber and pressurizes thewater therein causing it to discharge through the outlet check valve,the outlet valve, on subsequent expansion of the chamber, inhibitingflow of air therethrough to the pump chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a boatmoored to a dock illustrating the position of the pump device in thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view of one form ofthe pumping device of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the free endof the pipe secured in the bilge of the boat; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a second type of pumping device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 11 illustrates a boat 11secured to a dock 2 by a mooring line 3. Spliced in the mooring line isa pumping device 10 of the type illustrated by FIGS. 2 or 4. A safetyauxiliary line 4 may be provided, by-passing the pumping device, in theevent the pumping device is severed.

The pumping device may be a section of convoluted tubing, accordion-likeconfiguration, as illustrated by FIG. 4, or an elongated section ofelastic tubing inserted inside a section of braided rope, as illustratedin FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, the pumping device 10 in cludes anelongated section of flexible elastic tubing 11, of fiber-reinforcedsynthetic rubber, or rubber alone inserted inside a section of braidedrope 12. The braided rope may be the mooring line or spliced into themooring line. Braided ropes of the type employed are commerciallyavailable and are generally of braided material having a lowcoefiicien't of friction such as polyethylene strands or nylon strands.The section of tubing ll should have a wall thickness in relation to itsI diameter so that it doesnt collapse during utilization. The tubing isgenerally of a low durometer material, such as from 40 to 60 durometer,having a wall thickness ranging from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch and aninternal diameter ranging from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch (1D). Valve housings113 and 14 of plastic, metal, or other suitable material, are insertedin the inlet and outlet ends of the tubing, respectively. The diameterof the valve housings is large enough so that they are held within thetubing by friction and the compressive force of the tubing or they maybe adhesively held in place. The inlet valve housing 13 includes anintegral stem portion 13a for connection to a conduit 14 having itsopposite end placed in the bilge of the boat. One-way check valves 115and 16 are inserted in the respective valve housings, as illustrated inFIG. 2 or inserted in the tubing without housings. The check valves arepreferably fluttertype valves, as illustrated, having flexible lips 17which are normally closed but which open to allow flow of a fluidtherethrough in one direction and close to inhibit or prevent flow offluid therethrough in the opposite direction.

FIG. 3 illustrates a filter means inserted over the free end of theconduit 14 placed in the bilge of the boat to prevent passage throughthe conduit of debris which would plug or block action of the checkvalves 14 and R5. The filter means includes a housing 18 of metal,plastic, or other suitable material of cup-shaped contiguration having afilter material 19 secured therein, such as open-cell polyurethane foam,glass fiber batt, metal screening or other suitable filter materialwhich will allow water to pass but not oil. The free end of the conduit14 is inserted through the side wall of the housing so water will bedrawn through the filter 19. The housing 18 is laid or secured in thebilge of the boat by suitable retaining means. Water in the bilge issucked through the filter 19 and conduit 14 into the pump chamber of thepumping device If). Check valve 20, held within housing 21, may beinserted at some point in the length of conduit 14 to prevent backflowof bilge water should the pumping device break and the conduit 14 fallinto the water adjacent the boat and, by siphoning action, siphon waterback into the bilge.

As the braided rope 12 of FIG. 2 surrounding the section of plastic orrubber tubing 11 is tensed, it reduces the volume and cross-sectionalarea of the tubing II. When the tension on the rope 12 is relaxed, thetubing 11 expands by its own elastic memory to substantially itsoriginal configuration. This creates a partial vacuum within the pumpingchamber 11a of the section of tubing and draws water through conduit 14and valve 15 into the pumping chamber 11a. When the braided rope 12 istensed due to wave action, the cross-sectional area and volume of thetubing are reduced, pressurizing the water in the pumping chamber Ila,closing or allowing the lips 17 of valve 13 to close and causing thewater to be discharged through valve 16. The repeated tensing andrelaxing of the rope 12 surrounding the section of tubing 11 due torelative motion between the surface of the water and the boat pumpssufficient water to keep the bilge of the boat substantially free fromwater at all times. The section of tubing within the braided rope alsoexerts a snubbing or shock-absorbing action on the mooring line to checkor restrain motion of the boat relative to the mooring station and toreduce, the force resulting in the mooring line from the motion of theboat, a decided advantage.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified pumping device, utilizing a section ofconvoluted tubing 22 having an accordion-like configuration. Valvehousings 23 and 24 are inserted in the respective open ends of thesection of convoluted tubing 22 and secured therein by suitable clamps25 and 26. Each of the housings includes a stem portion 27 and 28,respectively, connecting with conduit 14 leading from the bilge of theboat and to a dis charge line 29 discharging water overboard. The valvehousings also include provisions for splicing the pump device in themooring line 3. Each of the valve housings has a one-way check valvetherein of the same type described with reference to FIG. 2. The sectionof convoluted tubing may be of fiber-reinforced synthetic rubber orother suitable material. In operation, as the mooring line is tensed,the section of convoluted tubing 22 is expanded, creating a partialvacuum in the interior or pumping chamber thereof causing water from thebilge to be sucked into the pumping chamber through the valve in theinlet end of the tubing section. As the mooring line is relaxed, thesection of convoluted tubing tends to return to its originalconfiguration, thus decreasing the volume of the pumping chamber. Thispressurizes the water contained therein, closes the inlet valve, andcauses the water to flow through the outlet valve overboard.

Example I A convoluted section of fabric-reinforced synthetic rubbertubing about 1 inch in diameter was wrapped with a flexible rubber sheetand clamped at each end to valve housings incorporating flutter valvesof the type illustrated by FIG. 2, the valve housings also includingmeans of tying into a mooring line extending between a boat and a dock.A 1/4 inch ID rubber hose about 10 feet in length was connected to theinlet port 27 of the inlet valve housing. The free end of the hose wasconnected through a metal housing containing an open-cell polyurethanefoam of the type illustrated by FIG. 3. When the moorage line was tenseddue to wave action upon the boat expanding the convoluted section, waterin the bilge of the boat was sucked up and, on relaxation of the moorageline and convoluted section, the water sucked into the pumping chamberof the convoluted section was expelled overboard. The check valve at theinlet end of the convoluted section prevented bilge water from returningto the bilge. The pump also provided a snubbing action to the mooringline. When the bilge of the boat was completely pumped dry, the pumpingdevice pumped air until more water was available in the bilge of theboat.

Example 2 A l/2 inch, polyethylene braided rope was expanded locally toallow insertion of a 5/8 inch outer diameter, 1/2 inch inner diameter,neoprene tube fitted with valve housings having rubber flutter valves atthe inlet and outlet ends thereof. The inlet end of the tube was alsofitted with a 3/8 inch outer diameter, l/4 inch inner diameter, rubbertube about 12 feet long having its free end extending into the bilge ofthe boat and into a filter housing of the type illustrated by FIG. 3. Asthe braided rope constituting the mooring line of the boat was tensed bywave action upon the boat, the volume of the interior of the tubing wasreduced. This action of the braided rope upon the section of tubingprovided pumping action and also provided snubbing action for themooring line of the boat.

Example 3 A pumping device similar to that described in Example 1 wasconstructed using a convoluted rubber tube without reinforcing. Thistube pumped bilge water from the bilge without the rubber sleeve forreturn of the section to the compressed state. The convoluted rubberitself had sufficient elastic memory to discharge water overboard and totake up slack in the mooring line on relaxation thereof.

Example 4 Pumps similar to those described with respect to Example 2were fabricated using l/4 inch, 5/16 inch, 3/ 8 inch, and 3/4 inchbraided ropes together with appropriate tubing and valve sized forinsertion in the various tubing. Valves and bilge lines of various sizeswere used which were appropriate for the various pump purposes.

Example 5 It was found that a section of resilient elastic tubinginserted inside a section of braided rope serving as a mooring linewould act as a snubber. This makes it possible to impart snubbing actionto any braided line by insertion of a flexible filler in the core of theline.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A combined mooring line, snubber and pumping device for the bilge ofa boat utilizing wave motion upon the boat to pump out the bilge of theboat, com prising:

a mooring line connected between the boat and a mooring station with atleast a portion of the mooring line incorporating a length of tubular,braided rope having a hollow interior and which contracts in diameter onapplication of tension thereto,

an open-ended, elongated, tubular section of elastic tubing having awall thickness relative to its diameter sufficient to prevent collapsethereof during pumping action inserted in the hollow interior of thebraided rope,

a flexible inlet check valve disposed in one of the open ends of theelongated section of elastic tubing for connection to an intake hose,and

a flexible outlet check valve in the other end of the elongated sectionof elastic tubing for connection to a discharge hose, thecross-sectional area of the elastic material decreased by squeezingaction of the braided rope surrounding the elastic tubing on applicationof tension thereto and, on release of tension, returning tosubstantially its original cross sectional area because of its elasticmemory, the alternate squeezing and release action due to wave actionupon a boat sucking water into the section of elastic tubing on releaseof tension on the mooring line and discharging the water held by theelastic tubing on application of tension to the mooring line.

2. The pump of claim 1 wherein the elastic tubing is a material of 40 to60 durometer having a wall thickness ranging from l/ 16 inch to H8 inchand an internal diameter ranging from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch, and thebraided rope is a material having a low coefficient of friction, such aspolyethylene or nylon.

3. The pumping device of claim ll wherein the mooring line is a braidedpolyethylene rope.

4. The pumping device of claim 1 including a second section of mooringline spliced around the pumping device to act as a mooring line in theevent the pump device is severed.

5. The pumping device of claim 1 including filter means on the free endof the intake hose preventing suction of material into the hose whichwould plug or inhibit action of the check valves in the pumping device.

6. The pumping device of claim 1 including a check valve in the intakehose to eliminate the possibility of water feed-back into the bilge.

1. A combined mooring line, snubber and pumping device for the bilge ofa boat utilizing wave motion upon the boat to pump out the bilge of theboat, comprising: a mooring line connected between the boat and amooring station with at least a portion of the mooring lineincorporating a length of tubular, braided rope having a hollow interiorand which contracts in diameter on application of tension thereto, anopen-ended, elongated, tubular section of elastic tubing having a wallthickness relative to its diameter sufficient to prevent collapsethereof during pumping action inserted in the hollow interior of thebraided rope, a flexible inlet check valve disposed in one of the openends of the elongated section of elastic tubing for connection to anintake hose, and a flexible outlet check valve in the other end of theelongated section of elastic tubing for connection to a discharge hose,the cross-sectional area of the elastic material decreased by squeezingaction of the braided rope surrounding the elastic tubing on applicationof tension thereto and, on release of tension, returning tosubstantially its original crosssectional area because of its elasticmemory, the alternate squeezIng and release action due to wave actionupon a boat sucking water into the section of elastic tubing on releaseof tension on the mooring line and discharging the water held by theelastic tubing on application of tension to the mooring line.
 2. Thepump of claim 1 wherein the elastic tubing is a material of 40 to 60durometer having a wall thickness ranging from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch andan internal diameter ranging from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch, and the braidedrope is a material having a low coefficient of friction, such aspolyethylene or nylon.
 3. The pumping device of claim 1 wherein themooring line is a braided polyethylene rope.
 4. The pumping device ofclaim 1 including a second section of mooring line spliced around thepumping device to act as a mooring line in the event the pump device issevered.
 5. The pumping device of claim 1 including filter means on thefree end of the intake hose preventing suction of material into the hosewhich would plug or inhibit action of the check valves in the pumpingdevice.
 6. The pumping device of claim 1 including a check valve in theintake hose to eliminate the possibility of water feed-back into thebilge.